DVD Review: Ken Burns' the Civil War: a Film Directed by Ken Burns

To be honest, while growing up I was never much of a fan of American history, instead I preferred reading and studying up on the ancient cultures of Egypt, and Greece, I also loved the Medieval and Renaissance periods. That was to change however, when The Civil War series by Ken Burns aired on the PBS channels during 1990.
When the series first was broadcast, I sat absolutely mesmerized by watching this wonderfully presented documentary, and normally I'm not much of a documentary type watcher either. I was also thoroughly impressed by Ken Burns himself, and how he was able to pull off such a monumental undertaking of a very detailed series that brought the whole Civil War era come to life. Most of the series is done by piecing together thousands upon thousands of contemporary photographs of the time, as well as paintings and newspaper clippings also of that time.

Yet, even though the series primarily uses still photographs to illustrate the series, and therefore not live action as in a movie, the images come to life brilliantly by the narrative voices that are throughout the series...such as the main narrator David McCullough (whose voice also narrative the movie Seabiscuit). Julie Harris gives voice to Mary Chesnut, a southern woman who despises the Yankees, and whose words come to life from her numerous existing letters and journals, that can be found in the 886 page book, Mary Chesnut's Civil War edtied by C. Van Woodward. Amongst the "Union" side of the war, Chris Murney gives his voice and makes the letters and diaries of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, a private who served in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry come alive after so many years of silence.

Besides the photographic images of the Civil War period, the series has authentic contemporary music of the era playing throughout the documentary, such as Battle Cry of Freedom, Lorena, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, just to name but a scant few.

The most bittersweet presentation, I found however was the reading of the now famous Sullivan Ballou's letter to his wife Sarah, written to her a mere week before he was to engage in the First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas as it's known down in Southern USA). While the letter is read, the haunting and beautiful melody of Askokan Farewell plays, and if hearing the letters doesn't bring tears to your eyes I don't know what will. How eloquently and poetically people wrote in those days, not like today in a world of text messaging. You can read the letter by typing in a search for Sullivan Ballou's letter, and you may also view this particular segment of the Civil War series at Youtube as well. Have tissues handy! You can read the letter Here

There was so much of the Civil War I never knew about until seeing this documentary. In the four years that the war took place, during the years 1861 to 1865 more than 600.000 soldiers died in combat. Also, this war wasn't a terroristic act from a foreign source, it was in our own backyard, that of one part of the United States, torn with conflict and fighting against one another, Yankees on the Northern side and Confederates on the Southern side.

If you've never watched this documentary, you're missing something, and is a definite must see. And unlike most documentary type series where one viewing is sufficient, this is one you won't mind seeing again and again. If you've never been an American History buff before, this series just might change your mind and have a much better appreciation of America's past.

On A Personal Note

After watching this series, I became something of a Civil War history buff. I began collecting numerous books and have a virtual library that outshines most public libraries. Also, it inspired me to do some very extensive genealogy research in which I was to discover that on my father's side there was a true case of, if not brother against brother, fighting each other but cousin against cousin. Branches of the original settlers that lived in Virginia were to later settle in Ohio, consequently many joined the Union regiments. Some remained in Virginia, and one member of my distant ancestry fought for the Virginia 35th Battalion Calvary Regiment in which took part in the Gettysburg battle and some months later was captured and sent to a prison camp, not being released until months after the Civil War ended. My direct line, left Virginia in 1859 and moved to Missouri, which was to be one of the few neutral states during the Civil War, neither completely Union, nor Confederate, yet two brothers to my great-great grandfather joined as surgeons for separate various Confederate Arkansas military units.

This series also inspired me to write a short story with the Civil War as the background, not yet published. When I showed it to one particular friend, he said he couldn't read the entire story as he said my battle scenes were too graphic. When he asked how in the world was I able to describe battles so authentically, when I've never participated in a war, I merely replied that I owed my inspiration to the Ken Burns' Civil War series.

Episodes For The Series:
Episode 1: The Cause (1861)
Episode 2: A Very Bloody Afair (1862)
Episode 3: Forever Free (1862)
Episode 4: Simply Murder (1863)
Episode 5: The Universe of Battle (1863)
Episode 6: Valley of the Shadow of Death (1864)
Episode 7: Most Hallowed Ground (1864)
Episode 8: War Is All Hell (1865)
Episode 9: The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865)

Narrated Voices For The Series
Main Narrator..................David McCullough
Abraham Lincoln............Sam Waterston
Mary Chesnut..................Julie Harris
Frederick Douglas...........Morgan Freeman
Robert E. Lee...................George Black
Sullivan Ballou................Paul Roebling

Total Running Time: 690 minutes or 11-1/2 hours on five DVD discs